Every week, I will spotlight strange but ultimately endearing comic stories (basically, we're talking lots and lots of Silver Age comic books). Here is the archive of all the installments of this feature. Feel free to e-mail me at bcronin@comicbookresources.com if you have a suggestion for a future installment!
Today we take a look at the famous (or perhaps infamous) first appearance of perhaps the strangest Justice League of all-time - Justice League Antarctica!!! They came to us via Justice League America Annual #4, by the creative team of Keith Giffen, JM DeMatteis, Mike McKone and Bob Smith.
After the events of Justice League Europe #6 (a funny story I detailed here), the Injustice League have fallen on hard times. The story begins with two members of the Injustice League waiting on the unemployment line when they recognize a couple of their erstwhile teammates...
After collecting another teammate (in a hilarious sequence in the mansion where he was working as the butler to an old woman), they reunite as the Injustice League and go rob a museum, the only problem is, terrorists have beaten them to it...
Now that the world thinks that they are superheroes, their leader, Major Disaster, gets the idea to ask the Justice League to make them official (and paid) superheroes.
Maxwell Lord figures out a good way to keep them out of everybody's hair, especially as it also gives him a chance to get rid of G'Nort, the dimwitted Green Lantern friend of Guy Gardner...
The Martian Manhunter and Power Girl are sent to help them set up their "League"...
However, G'Nort comes across some trouble at an installation in Antarctica...
Meanwhile, G'Nort's friend the Scarlet Skier had come to Earth to join the team at G'Nort's request, and he and Big Sur come across something terrifying...
Yes, killer penguins, baby!!!
Go pick up the Annual (you should be able to find it pretty cheap in back issue places) and find out what happens next (basically, even MORE hilarity ensues)!!
This was a very funny issue and McKone and Smith do a find job on the artwork.
(Note: This article first appeared as part of the Fools of April feature - BC)